Bauer Brothers Bakery began in 1898

The year was 1920. The Cape Girardeau community was a bustling one, with more than 12,000 people.

The city was connected to three railroads -- Illinois Central, Frisco and Cape Girardeau Railway Co. It had an electric street car system, a modern sewer system, and a Bell telephone system. No less than four steamboat lines made frequent stops.

Situated on the Mississippi River 130 miles south of St. Louis, the community hosted 50 factories, 27 grocery stores, 19 general merchandise stores, 13 churches, 10 hotels, nine restaurants, 23 saloons, two daily newspapers and a university, State Normal School.

Like many small towns at the time, the city had wagon makers (five of them), blacksmiths and horseshoers (eight of them), cobblers (five), farm implement dealers (four), and breweries (three). Principal products of the 51 manufacturing firms in the city included flour, stone, brick, lumber, and many other wood products.

And a half dozen bakeries:

Bauer Brothers Bakery, founded in 1898 by three brothers, Christopher, Fred and Carl.

Wielpuetz Baker, maker of Bambi Bread.

Kraft Bakery, wedding cakes a specialty.

Kaess Bakery.

Doughnut Bakery.

Lutz Bakery.

Bauer Brothers Bakery, which was featured in picture on the "Faces and Spaces" page recently, had been closed a full decade when one of the brothers who operated the business for 45 years received a letter and check from a former Advance businessman.

"I was forced to quit business in Advance in 1906," said the letter writer. "I owed you $9.60 that I was unable to pay. At long last, I can pay and am enclosing check for the amount."

The check arrived in 1955.

Bauer Brothers Bakery shipped bread to Advance and many area communities during its early years.

Bauer Brothers Bakery was founded in 1898 in a building at 700 Broadway by Christian J. Bauer, who was associated with his brothers, Carl Bauer and Fred Bauer in the bakery.

The Bauers established a retail delivery route for its products, featuring a horse-drawn wagon, with a slow pace and ringing bells. The bakery continued its delivery routes through 1930.

In 1936, the bakery building was remodeled, and in 1940, new machinery and baking equipment was installed.

The bakery was sold in 1944 to the Master Baking Co., of Mt. Vernon, Ill.

The old bakery building was razed in 1971.

Pierce Oil Company

Another local business with a historical background was the Pierce Oil Corporation; a Pierce Oil truck picture appeared recently on the "Faces & Places" page.

Pierce Oil Company went from the Waters-Pierce Oil Co. in 1906 to Pierce Oil Corporation, Pierce Petroleum Corp., to Sinclair Refining Co. in 1932.

The Waters-Pierce Oil Co. was founded at 312 Main St. in Cape Girardeau in 1906. A history buff, who wants to remain anonymous, provided the following information about the business:

1906: Waters-Pierce Oil Co., 312 N. Main.

1912: Waters-Pierce Oil Co., 300 N. Main.

1920: Pierce Oil Corporation, C. C. Jenkins, agent, 300 N. Main and 640 Broadway.

1928: Pierce Petroleum Corp., Lon G. Slinkard, agent, 300 N. Main.

1930: Pierce Petroleum Corp., Walter D. Black, branch manager, 554 S. Sprigg.

1932: Sinclair Refining Co., 300 N. Main.

B. Ray Owen is the Southeast Missourian's community news editor. Contact him at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702, by phone at (573) 335-6611, ext. 133, or by e-mail at rowen@semissourian.com.